DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum New Team Enters Race for LeBron in 2010

If LBJ were to play overseas, he may lose some American sponsors, but there's plenty of overseas companies as well...

It's funny how some in the US think the rest of the world is peanuts compared to us when that's simply not the case.

I think it would be really interesting to see a LBJ, D.Wade or Kobe head overseas. Now that would start getting US owners worried.

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I have no facts to back up my statement. It was just an assumption. I did forget how big Oprah is though.

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I saw at the supermarket yesterday that she just lost 50 pounds... after she gained 70 pounds... after she lost 55 pounds... after she gained 40 pounds....

Where's Fletch to say it's a given he now leaves cleveland for Greece?

So why would it be any different in basketball? You get a bigger playing contract ... but that's it. (Plus basketball still being far less popular than soccer)

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I think it would be really interesting to see a LBJ, D.Wade or Kobe head overseas. Now that would start getting US owners worried.

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It's gonna happen, it's only a matter of time, as the US economy falls people are not gonna be able to afford to go to games, sure many always will, but over seas will flurish, US dollar ant what it use to be, globel advertising, who cares about US advertising, it isnt big money like before, Just think how much money could be made if Labron could put a pair of sneakers on every kid in China for some up & coming Greek shoe maker / basketball team owner.

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Just think how much money could be made if Labron could put a pair of sneakers on every kid in China

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That would be great if he could do it for $4 a pair. While China as a nation is fairly rich, China as a population is relatively poor. The average Chinese kid isn't going to get $120 shoes, they might make them, but they ain't wearing them.

I just don't see this happening with the big name stars for at least the next 20 years, as I see a couple of issues.

1. Most of the great stars were weaned on Michael Jordan and his legacy in the NBA. The great ones want to be like him or surpass him, they cannot do that overseas. Which brings me to my next point.
2. While European leagues are improving, their stature is still relatively small in relation to the NBA. Players who care about their legacy will not get the fame and notoriety that they want. They will get the money, but they will not have the same respect for beating lower level talent as they would in winning in the NBA.

This is not to say that the European leagues are bad. They just do not have the same prestige as the NBA. In order for basketball to become a truly worldwide sport. I think that you are going to need to have a couple leagues viewed as tough and as great as the NBA before American superstars will want to go to Europe.

In all honesty the best way for basketball to become more international is to have a tournament similar to the “champions league” in basketball. Because until European teams are beating NBA teams, the isolationist American will always look down on them.

To me the American Culture is not right for Superstars to jump to Europe. We will continue to see mid level players go for the money, but the players who do not have to go for the dollar will not go until there is more prestige and a greater understanding of European basketball in the States.

This is jmho.

I agree with what you are saying, but as more players jump overseas, the competition is going to get better. Not only because there are better players, but because those better players are going to make Europeans work even harder to get better to keep up.

Plus, a lot of these international players come to the USA for big money and fame. If big name players are going overseas, those players don't need to leave anymore. The big lights are in their hometown.

It is all speculation right now and in some ways not reality, but it is a possibility. If these international teams are able to lure a couple of big names, the domino effect is sure to follow.

Jay-Z and the New Jersey Nets? Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks?

Heck, the Cleveland Cavaliers' strongest competition for LeBron James' long-term services could be the deep-pocketed new kid on the block -- Europe.





A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers' superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of "around $50 million a year."

James' current contract expires after the 2009-10 season, and while several NBA teams are working to create salary cap space for his impending free agency, none could offer a contract beginning at even $20 million a year.

The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him. The person added, however, that no monetary or contractual discussions have taken place.

While $50 million a year seems outlandish, it is within the realm of possibility, considering the $250 million contract David Beckham received two years ago to join Major League Soccer, the $33 million Michael Jordan was paid by the Chicago Bulls for the 1997-98 season, the strength of the euro in comparison to the dollar, and the fact that European clubs are not bound by a salary cap.

While several NBA players have left the league this summer for more lucrative contracts in Europe, no stars have done so -- or even considered it. Joel Litvin, the NBA's president of league and basketball operations, said the league is not concerned about this developing trend.

"I don't want to say it's much ado about nothing, but we think it's overblown a bit," Litvin said. "It's not something we're losing sleep over. "

But losing a player of James' magnitude would be nothing short of a nightmare for the NBA.

"For the most part, the league considers the players to be fungible products," an official from the National Basketball Players Association said. "But LeBron is one of the three or four players the league would definitely hate to lose. If a team lost him or Kobe [Bryant] to Europe, it would lose its mind. It would be devastating."

But both Litvin and the NBPA official said they don't foresee anything -- even the loss of a superstar -- leading the NBA to eliminate the salary cap and thereby compete financially with the European teams.

"It would be disappointing to lose one of our star players, but I have no concern at all about the best players playing anywhere but in the NBA for a long time to come," Litvin said. "I'd be surprised if one of our top players chose to go to Europe but if it did happen, there are many players who would step up and fill the void."

The source close to James said LeBron would play in Europe only for a year or two before returning to the NBA. He said James would view it as an opportunity to popularize the game and himself overseas. He added that James would not consider himself to be playing in the "minor leagues."

"Not at all," the person said. "He believes those guys are pros also."

The entire scenario falls in line with James' stated goals of becoming a billionaire and "global icon." But the representative from the players' association will have to see James in a European uniform before he believes it.

"First of all, we don't know that there's going to be a $50 million offer," the official said. "And secondly, he wouldn't be able to accomplish over there the things that he wants to do over here, which are to win NBA championships, MVP awards, etc."

But he could become filthy rich and a global icon.

Chris Broussard is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3520860

looks like its not out of the question

Source: LeBron would consider European offer of $50M a year or more
By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine
(Archive)
Updated: August 5, 2008, 9:59 PM ET

Jay-Z and the New Jersey Nets? Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks?

Heck, the Cleveland Cavaliers' strongest competition for LeBron James' long-term services could be the deep-pocketed new kid on the block -- Europe.

A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers' superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of "around $50 million a year."

James' current contract expires after the 2009-10 season, and while several NBA teams are working to create salary cap space for his impending free agency, none could offer a contract beginning at even $20 million a year.

The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him. The person added, however, that no monetary or contractual discussions have taken place.

While $50 million a year seems outlandish, it is within the realm of possibility, considering the $250 million contract David Beckham received two years ago to join Major League Soccer, the $33 million Michael Jordan was paid by the Chicago Bulls for the 1997-98 season, the strength of the euro in comparison to the dollar, and the fact that European clubs are not bound by a salary cap.

While several NBA players have left the league this summer for more lucrative contracts in Europe, no stars have done so -- or even considered it. Joel Litvin, the NBA's president of league and basketball operations, said the league is not concerned about this developing trend.

"I don't want to say it's much ado about nothing, but we think it's overblown a bit," Litvin said. "It's not something we're losing sleep over. "

But losing a player of James' magnitude would be nothing short of a nightmare for the NBA.

"For the most part, the league considers the players to be fungible products," an official from the National Basketball Players Association said. "But LeBron is one of the three or four players the league would definitely hate to lose. If a team lost him or Kobe [Bryant] to Europe, it would lose its mind. It would be devastating."

But both Litvin and the NBPA official said they don't foresee anything -- even the loss of a superstar -- leading the NBA to eliminate the salary cap and thereby compete financially with the European teams.

"It would be disappointing to lose one of our star players, but I have no concern at all about the best players playing anywhere but in the NBA for a long time to come," Litvin said. "I'd be surprised if one of our top players chose to go to Europe but if it did happen, there are many players who would step up and fill the void."

The source close to James said LeBron would play in Europe only for a year or two before returning to the NBA. He said James would view it as an opportunity to popularize the game and himself overseas. He added that James would not consider himself to be playing in the "minor leagues."

"Not at all," the person said. "He believes those guys are pros also."

The entire scenario falls in line with James' stated goals of becoming a billionaire and "global icon." But the representative from the players' association will have to see James in a European uniform before he believes it.

"First of all, we don't know that there's going to be a $50 million offer," the official said. "And secondly, he wouldn't be able to accomplish over there the things that he wants to do over here, which are to win NBA championships, MVP awards, etc."

But he could become filthy rich and a global icon.

web page

Ah yes ... the good ol' anonymus source "close to someone" gag.

Lazy journalism at it's finest. I wonder how many "close sources" Chris Broussard had to go through, before he finally got one to spit out the quote, "he'd consider it".

Who cares, I hope he does go to Greece or NY or where ever.It will be fun to see all these middle aged white guys get their hearts broken.....But Lebron , you love the Akron and Cleveland area. BWAHAHAHA. Face it guys Lebron is to big for Cleveland. He will leave and Basketball in this area will die. Then we can move on to the important stuff, FOOTBALL.